Starting a Food Business in Denmark

All food business operators, incl. importers of food from other EU Member States or third countries, and producers or importers of food contact materials (FCM) must be registered or approved by the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration.

​​​​​​If you want to start a food business, incl. import of food from other EU Member States or third countries, or have activities relating to food contact materials (FCM) in Denmark, your company must be registered or approved by the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (DVFA).

The requirement for registration or approval also applies to food business operators from other EU Member States or third countries who wish to set up a food business in Denmark on a temporary basis. E.g. food-trucks or food stands on markets and festivals e​tc.

For activities related to food contact materials (FCM), you are exempted from registration requirement, if your FCM activities do not exceed 1000 units and have a turnover of 50 000 DKK on a yearly basis.

To register or apply for approval you must fill in a registration form and send it to the DVFA.

However, if you want to start a food business where you slaughter or prepare insects, produce sprouts or collect and supply mother's milk for babies, you must not use the registration form but must contact the DVFA by phone or writing.

Please see contact information here.

Registration form

If you have a MitID/NemID, you can use the Danish language form, fill it in and send it electronically to the DVFA. The DVFA receives the information directly, and if your activities only require registration, you will in most cases receive an automatically generated answer that your activities are registered and you can begin your food business or activities relating to FCM immediately.

The Danish language application form can be found here (nemlog-in.mitid.dk)

If you do not have a MitID/NemID, you can use the English language version of the form. In both cases, you must allow some time for the processing, after you have sent the form to the DVFA, before you are registered and before you can begin your food business activities.

The English language application form can be found here (virk.dk)

Read more on starting a business in Denmark here (danishbusinessauthority.dk)

If your activities require approval, you will be contacted by the DVFA, who will ​visit your premises before an approval can be granted.

The form must also be used to notify the DVFA if:

  • You want to take over an existing, active business (transfer of ownership)
  • You have significant changes in your activities
  • You want to close down your business
  • You wish to trade food from other Member States into Denmark or import from third countries
  • Your establishment is the first place of destination for food of animal origin from other Member States, whether or not you are the importer

The DVFA can​​ provide guidance, but it is always your responsibility to abide by the rules and to ensure that the products you sell are safe.

You must register as an importer if you bring in or receive food for sale in a movable or temporary food busin​ess establishment (e.g. food stands at festivals or summer resorts etc.).

If you are registered or approved as a food business operator in another EU Member State, you do not need a Danish registration/approval as a food business operator to run your tempo​​rary or movable food business, but you do need to register as an importer to bring in or receive food for sale in such establishments.

You must provide the DVFA with the contact details of the authority, which has registered/approved your business and with the company details under which your business is registered/approved.

Guide for registration as courier detail.pdf